


In the Presence of Jealousy

by r2mich2



Series: r2mich2's The Avengers Request Fanfics (2012 series) [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, F/M, M/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:49:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r2mich2/pseuds/r2mich2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just another Avengers High school AU. (Written in 2012 by request)</p><p>An ordinary day at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy turns sour for Steve Rogers. He's humiliated in class, hears that one of the classmates went nuts in the Chem lab, and his friend Clint starts scheming. But nothing made it worse than what he found on the way home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Presence of Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this fic by request when I opened up a request fanfiction system shortly after the Avengers movie came out. This is by far my most popular of the requested fanfics (which I'll be posting individually as oneshots elsewhere). I don't have any specific plans to write anything more for this story, considering it was meant to be a oneshot, but I may be convinced otherwise if I get bored and there's enough demand. 
> 
> Anyway, have fun with this one. There's some dark topics covered towards the end. There's also no major shipping within this fanfic other than mentionings or hints. Mostly plot and environment.

Highschool was always this sort of thing Steve dreaded. He thought about it more and more each time he walked to school, age still hanging on his shoulders like a big neon sign for everyone to read. He'd in fact been held back in a sort of way, or at least that was what he thought of his one year leave. He passed his Junior year just barely and quit highschool before returning back when his education wasn't up to par with anyone else's. (Another reason being that he had enough of the science experiments and being a lab rat)  
  
Of course now that he was returning as a Senior two years later, he had to face going into the same grade as that damned genius Stark who on many occasions made fun of those who weren't nearly as smart as he.  
  
The only person he deemed intelligent enough to speak a truly enjoyable conversation with was Bruce Banner, the guy who ran away when you started ticking him off. No one quite knew why.  
  
The school of course wasn't ordinary either. Their principal Nick Fury was the strictest of all headmasters and their program even more so. You were lucky to run into Phil Coulson instead who was much nicer than the latter. Phil Coulson was the co-vice principal with Maria Hill. Though…on many occasions he didn't fit the part because he wasn't nearly as willing to bite your head off if you did something wrong.  
  
So, when Steve ran into VP Coulson that morning, he didn't dread his day so much anymore. The man always had a way of brightening the students' spirits. So there he was, standing at the school's entrance and scolding the students lightly if they were out of uniform.  
  
The education center was not only a school but a private school for gifted individuals. The school's official name was "S.H.I.E.L.D." and no matter how complicated the acronym, no one bothered to ask what it stood for. Speculations were made about it but the students would rather have fun making a name up than actually knowing.  
  
S.H.I.E.L.D. was a privately ran school that was placed away from most civilization. In fact most of the students boarded in dorms on campus. It was very highly specialized in educating special individuals with different needs.  
  
Though for Steve he didn't buy his way in with money, he was funded by the department of scientists that had so graciously turned him into a giant super soldier of sorts in the time he had been away from school.  
  
Some other students bought their way in with money while others were sent in by the government by requirement because of their exact needs. Some people rumored that was why Bruce ran away from other students so much when situations got tense.  
  
Steve tried to ignore those facts as he walked down the hallway and past the crowd of students fawning over Tony Stark. He was the prodigy of course and it was painfully apparent he had bought his way in with money. Beside him stood the boisterous Thor and his brother Loki whom had been gradually creeping closer and closer to Tony's inner circle of fans.  
  
Sometimes Steve didn't know why he ever bothered to care enough to watch them.  
  
Steve then wandered up to his locker, opening it and placing the few books he'd needed to take home the previous night back into their designated spots. His ears picked up the sound of Clint, excited and happy to be at school and pranking once more.  
  
Everyone knew by then that Clint was the master prankster of sorts. Or at least if he had blackmail on you, well, it'd be on his blog in a matter of 12 hours and the entire school would know about it. He was like the online journalist to the unofficial cyber newspaper on the activities going on in S.H.I.E.L.D.  
  
Steve had often been a victim of that blog before he got his 'upgrade' from the scientists considering his smaller size and terrible physical outlook. He tried not to remember those days either.  
  
Luckily though, the bell that signified the five minute pre-class transit time went off before Clint could reach Steve with his camera and cell phone. Clint was always posting, always blogging. He practically lived for it.  
  
As Steve sauntered over to his first class, AP Literature, he began hating the day again. VP Coulson's smile only lasted him a total of five minutes.  
  
He sat himself down in the assigned seat next to Thor, the biggest airhead of all time, he tried not to cringe at the loud laugh escaping from the man. Apparently Loki made a comment from across the room that made Thor that much happier. Steve didn't really have anything against the huge blond. The guy was actually really nice when you caught him alone but if you got on his bad side, he'd ridicule you quite the bit. Steve wasn't on his bad side yet, thank god. His brother though, that was a different story.  
  
Steve was relieved to have Natasha take her place at his other side. Natasha was like the quiet and ever so dangerous student of the school. She was dating Clint, believe it or not, and she was often the one to stop all the fights that broke out in the school by winning them when she wasn't even involved. Natasha had that "boss ass bitch" air to her, as Clint described it.   
  
Fighting was also a reoccurring disaster at their school. But the Vice Principals and Principal did nothing to stop it unless someone actually got very, very hurt. That happened a lot too but that's because everyone else had some otherworldly qualities to fight with.  
  
At least Steve could get along fine in one of those fights unlike Tony Stark who relied on his brain to save him. Tony often got into the fights or was the one to start them but somehow he always made it out okay…but that didn't stop Steve from worrying, even if he didn't like the short asshole of a billionaire.  
  
Speaking of Tony though, he had just walked in, having missed the bell by a minute and being the last to show. The teacher didn't bother reminding him though because Tony always made a remark about class starting when he got there because he was practically the one teaching it. This always angered the teacher and he was either sent off to detention or the teacher had to leave before they exploded from anger.  
  
Sometimes Steve pitied those poor teachers.  
  
It didn't take long for class to begin. They were reciting some lines from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar and comparing it to some of the facts they'd read about the ruler in a non-fiction book earlier that year. Steve barely understood an ounce of it.  
  
"Wait what's this bit here with the whole…Et…too…Brutay?" He ventured out and asked, looking to their teacher for help while Tony so graciously butted in.  
  
"It's Latin."  
  
Steve turned his head to look at Tony. "I asked what it was…"  
  
"And it's Latin. You asked what it was and I said Latin. That's what it is. What it says is completely different." Tony's smirk was discouraging. Steve didn't want to put up with the smartass. He turned his head away, facing in the opposite direction. His eyes lingered on the window, announcing his defeat. He didn't want to put up with that god damned idiot that was too smart for everyone else.  
  
The teacher chose this time to intervene, giving Tony a sharp glare before looking to Steve. "It means 'and you, Brutus'. Would you care to tell us the relevance?" The teacher kindly tried to give Steve a bit of redemption but the teen didn't respond, he just kept his eyes on the window.  
  
Class went on in a blur, leaving Steve feeling disconnected and torn from everyone else…not that he felt connected to them anyway.  
  
The following classes went by with most of the students on their top behavior, which wasn't always that nice. That did exclude the fight in the hallway just outside of the Chemistry labs. Apparently something went down with Bruce and Principal Fury had to go in and stop the whole thing before it got out of hand.  
  
Now it was lunch time, the time where Steve dreaded even letting himself sit with the idiots he pretended not to hate earlier in the day. Tony was sitting on the other end of the table, reeling off different pickup lines to Pepper Potts. Natasha and Clint were sitting more towards Steve's end of the table. Bruce was missing, for which they all blamed the fight in the hallway. On the other hand, Loki and Thor were talking in riddles back and forth to each other while Loki so blatantly attempted scooting closer to Tony.  
  
It was when Phil Coulson sat himself down with the students that they all got a little concerned and looked up. "What's with the…well, constant interaction?" Steve bothered to ask, looking to the absolutely beaming vice principal. Phil Coulson shrugged. "Just trying to make sure my favorite batch of students isn't getting into trouble." He explained, no longer granting him the attention of Tony, Thor, Loki, and Pepper.  
  
Natasha, Clint, and Steve all stared at the vice principal though. "Bruce will be back tomorrow. There was a problem with his whole…angry side." Phil explained, getting more serious. The group nodded their heads in acknowledgement.  
  
They hadn't been told exactly what happened to Bruce but that when he got angry he became a different person. The only one who had the closest idea of what he became was Tony, since he was a fan of the whole get angry and bash stuff thing.  
  
Steve and Natasha on the other hand knew to run at first sight of Bruce getting pissed off and Clint was dumb enough to snap pictures. "What got him mad this time?" Clint asked, probably for his blog.  
  
"Just another one of the students teasing him about the science stuff. Nothing big." VP Coulson spoke, even knowing that Clint ran that blog about the school. "But it's alright, we got him before it became a destructive matter. Principal Fury is helping him out right now."  
  
The three all nodded their heads in agreement. While they knew they were younger, less experienced in the troubles that often became a problem in their school, their group at their table had become the leading students of S.H.I.E.L.D. At least most of them spoke to their superiors with respect, and they took on their responsibilities, (all discounting Stark, he never fit the profile exactly.), but most of all they were the highest passing students in extra-curricular activities.  
  
S.H.I.E.L.D. had a very specific set of extra-curricular program that required the student take on projects and leap into fields that they might enjoy. Of course the school focused mainly on military training, there still was other places for openings. Bruce and Tony both worked in science, though Tony was into the engineering and Bruce was into the gamma radiation studies.  
  
Thor and Steve both practiced regular military procedures while Clint practiced in archery. Natasha worked on reconnaissance and self-defense. Loki developed his mind, studying battle strategies and too learning a bit of the regular military procedures with his brother. They were all sort of different in their own way yet they all excelled massively in their respective groups and departments.  
  
It was no wonder S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't let them leave the school. They were too proud of this specific group of students.  
  
A normal day at S.H.I.E.L.D. academy really depended on the individual. Regular classes that studied the required math, sciences, arts, social studies, and literature were taught during the early part of the day after the scheduled breakfast for both boarding students and some that could make it in time if they were early arrivals.  
  
The normal class day consisted of five classes, each depending on the semester or student. In the middle of the day around noon they had lunch and then continued their studies. After the regular day of studies, students would become involved in their extra-curricular activities that all depended on the person. For Steve, he went through his regular studies and then proceeded to preparing for joining the military with other students. After those respected practices took place, they'd head home or to their dorms.  
  
A dorm student would naturally study for a couple of hours or enjoy their own free time before they were granted 'free passes'. The free passes allowed them to leave campus for short periods of time, the most being 12 hours unless further permitted. This way they can get dinner, go out with other students, and indulge in the social aspect of their lives.  
  
The truth was though, no one really bothered to leave the school because of the short drive or walk back into town. Some local students such as Steve made the trip every day but others didn't bother and stayed in the Cafeteria for school cooked meals and studied more or indulged themselves in video games.  
  
Steve was lucky that day to be staying with Clint after school for a few hours to study and such. They in fact didn't do much studying at all though. Clint either shot arrows at pictures of people he'd tacked to the walls, usually political figures or celebrities, played his own video games, or went on the internet to further expand his blog.  
  
Steve on the other hand was sitting with his eyes half open staring at the book of Applied Physics that they were supposed to be learning. He didn't understand a word of it and half tempted getting himself a tutor for help but the only person who was deemed safe to be near was Tony since Bruce had been having more and more problems recently.  
  
There was no way Steve was going to sit through a tutoring session with Tony. The pompous narcissist was hard enough to handle during the day.  
  
"Clint, do you know what the hell's been going on with Bruce? Like for real?" Steve asked, looking up to his sort of friend, or ally. Probably an ally.  
  
Clint shrugged, shooting another arrow at Oprah's forehead from across the room. He was slumped on his bed, having terrible posture, yet the arrows always hit right where he said they would. Earlier he'd been explaining that the woman was too pesky, too popular, and too famous for his liking. Plus she was just too imperfect to be loved so much.  
  
"They say he's been facing some trouble from the gamma radiation. It got out of control when we were off for the summer break. He'd been studying it off sight and then there was all this hoobaloo about it when he went missing for a while. He's back though, but I'd be concerned if he lived across the hall. I think he's just going to go boom one day." Clint made several explosion like motions with his hands as if acting out a nuclear reaction or something.  
  
Steve shook his head. He'd heard about how Bruce went missing for a while and then turned up in India or somewhere. When they brought him back here he was sort of messed up somehow. No one was quite sure what to do around him after they were warned never to get him angry at all costs.  
  
It really did pose some questions.  
  
Steve placed his book beside him, closing the cover lazily. He stared at the floor for a few moments before Clint smirked, crossing his arms and looking at the scientifically enhanced teen with mischievous eyes. "So how's your relationship going with Tony?" He even dared to ask.  
  
The teen was more surprised by the question than anything. "What do you mean relationship? We're barely acquainted with each other." Steve chuckled with his words. "You think there's actually something involved between us?"  
  
Clint shrugged, aiming another arrow at another celebrity, Justin Bieber to be exact. "Howard Stark spent a lot of time with you rather than Tony. Not sure what to say about that." He smirked, aiming two more arrows at the teen sensation.  
  
Steve shook his head, picking up his books and getting ready to leave. He didn't plan on sticking around with the rather sketchy archer. Clint was known for sending arrows straight at someone's head if he got irritated and Steve didn't want to be on the receiving end of that. It was a wonder the dorms people didn't catch him with his bow either. Weapons weren't allowed in the dorms for obvious reasons.  
  
Though the thought dawned on him that he probably had in fact just manufactured the bow right there in his room anyway and kept one beside him at night for self-defense.  
  
That was one thing they all shared. Their group of exceptional students all slept with weapons close by. Whether it was because they knew people could easily come in and kill them in their sleep…? None of them were sure. Each of them all had their own nightmares to haunt them.  
  
Steve picked up his books and left, not saying much of anything to Clint but a noise of 'bye' or something. He didn't ignore the sound of an arrow lodging itself in the door the moment he shut it either. He just kept walking like it was natural, because for their group, it was.  
  
The walk out of the dorms area was sort of long considering the placement of Clint's room and the relative way the buildings were designed. It took him ten minutes just to get down the staircases and out the door before he was walking on his way across campus so that he could begin the chilling walk home. Why he didn't save up his money to buy a car was obvious, and bikes were too ridiculous anyway. Why save money for something the school won't let you park on campus anyway?  
  
What Steve least expected on his walk back towards the nearby town was the appearance of a figure sitting on the ground and hunched over one knee, staring down into the dirt. He couldn't see the face in the growing darkness but he knew the figure had dark colored hair and looked a mess if anything.  
  
If he wasn't mistaken either, that was definitely the uniform of the academy. It was dirtied up a little but it was the uniform.  
  
Steve usually didn't bother with people sitting next to the road but he was more intrigued than anything. It was like he was struck with memories of someone, someone whom he'd forgotten over time.  
  
He didn't remember who exactly this person reminded him of until he walked up, leant down, and placed a hand on the shoulder of the man. His face didn't lift up from behind the dark hair but Steve was suddenly shocked to remember that this was much like those days when he had been working with Howard Stark, father to Tony Stark-his classmate.  
  
Steve ignored the feeling telling him to back off, go and call someone once he got home or tell the school that the genius student was curled up on the side of the road and quite unresponsive. Steve wanted nothing more than to just walk away from him.  
  
But then there was that one little feeling in the back of his mind that said to help the poor guy. If there was any reason for someone with so much privilege to be sitting on the side of the road then there was a reason for him to help him up.  
  
"Tony?" Steve asked, shaking the shoulder in his hand lightly and trying to ignore the feeling of the limp man underneath him.  
  
He heard the mumblings of something but couldn't understand a word. "Tony, what are you doing? School's back there." Steve lifted his head to look back towards the lights far off in the distance. S.H.I.E.L.D. was lit up from far, far away. Tony was farther out into the middle of nowhere than Steve had first expected.  
  
Tony again didn't say anything intelligible but when he lifted his gaze finally, finding the blue eyes of Steve Rogers, the elder could see that Tony had drug himself out here by himself.  
  
The smell of something disgusting wafted over him and he looked back behind his classmate into the stones and rocks on the side of the road. There was something on the ground attracting flies and other insects. "Tony, are you okay? Are you sick?" He asked immediately, knowing exactly what was on the ground.  
  
"…tried to…" Tony's voice stopped after a moment and his gaze traveled back downwards but his face was still held higher up than before. Steve stared; disturbed by the image of his…dare he say friend like this.  
  
Steve waited patiently for him to continue, knowing that repeating it would only confuse the man more.  
  
Tony looked at him with half-lidded eyes again. "I wasn't happy…" He muttered, frowning and showing just how lost he was in his eyes. "…I didn't like it anymore. I wasn't ever enough for him…not for anyone…" One of the dirt covered hands of the prodigy lifted to his forehead, rubbing at a small cut that was only bleeding slightly.  
  
Part of Steve was confused but the other part understood. He knew exactly what it felt like not to enjoy things anymore but he didn't quite understand what the poor man had done.  
  
"Who?"  
  
Tony scowled, looking off into the distance with disgust as if he were staring at the face of whom he was thinking of. "Howard. He's not even my father anymore…not anymore." Tony shook his head, losing himself in his thoughts again.  
  
Steve shook his head, squeezing the shoulder in his grip. "He's always talked about you. He's always been proud of you." Steve tried to explain, knowing that he'd probably spent more time with the man than Tony had in his entire life time. Howard was always doing other things…and Steve knew that just by how the man acted towards other people in contrast to his son.  
  
"Liar. He's never talked about me. He's never even looked at me." Tony stared at Steve, and then back to the hand he hadn't placed on his forehead. When Steve looked down to see what was so important, he was met with the sight of a bottle of medications.  
  
Instantly Steve reached forward and tore the bottle form his classmates hand and threw it as far as he could off into the meadow, startling Tony from his stupor. Tony stared off to where the bottle had disappeared almost longingly but Steve took hold of either side of his face, forcing him to stare straight back at Steve. "It's not worth it Tony. If he didn't talk about you then make other people talk. Go do all that science-y stuff that you and Bruce enjoy so much. You're great at it." Steve growled, knowing exactly what had been going through the Stark's mind.  
  
Tony looked back at him, blank and empty but somewhere Steve could see his mind starting to turn it's mechanical gears again. He was coming back.  
  
"C'mon, we've got school to go to tomorrow and I don't want Fury coming and giving me detention for housing one of his top students over the curfew time." Steve said, pulling the Stark to his feet and helping balance him.  
  
Tony didn't respond, but something in him had changed. Maybe he didn't have to pick on Steve anymore…maybe he wasn't so mad at the man for getting all of his father's attention. Steve obviously had a reason for it.


End file.
